The Beginning of a Series of Mistakes
by Bryan Greenberg
Summary: Companion to Birthday Surprise. What happened that night that Chris went to Rory's dorm and found only Paris? ONESHOT


Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls.

AN- This takes place about a year before Birthday Surprise began. I've been wanting to write this for a while so here we go.

**The Beginning of a Series of Mistakes**

"Just leave Rory," Paris said, rolling her eyes and pushing her roommate out the door.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come back after dinner?" Rory asked, concerned for her friend, "You just broke up with Jamie. You need to wallow."

"If I promise to wallow will you go?" Paris asked, exasperated, "You haven't spent the weekend with your mom in forever. Just go."

"Paris," Rory scolded, "You can't wallow by yourself. That's totally not allowed."

"Then I'll call Terrence," Paris said, "If you stay here this weekend, I'm leaving."

Rory sighed. "Fine," she conceded, "But if you need me, don't hesitate to call. Much as I love my mother we won't be doing anything more earth shattering than having a Matthew Broderick Marathon."

"Matthew Broderick?" Paris asked skeptically.

"Anything including Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a good time," Rory explained with a grin.

"Right," Paris said, "Well have fun with that because I'm fine."

Rory shrugged and grabbed her bag, heading out of the room. Sometimes Paris was far too antisocial for her own good.

Paris let out a breath of relief when the door closed behind Rory's existing form. She didn't need to be around her roommate when her self-esteem was at an all time low. Although Rory was one of the nicest people Paris knew, she was also a girl who obliviously made every guy she came into contact with fall completely in love with her. That was not the type of person Paris could handle being around right after her first boyfriend broke up with her for another, presumably saner and prettier, girl.

Paris sighed and flopped down on the couch flipping on the TV. She surfed the channels for a few minutes before landing on her old standby, CSPAN. She knew this was definitely not Gilmore approved wallow material, but she didn't care. She never really got into the girly, tear-jerking romantic comedies and she didn't see _When Harry Met Sally_ cheering her up right now.

She shifted restlessly, not knowing what to do with herself. She couldn't seem to sit still, but she definitely didn't want to go out. She went to the mini fridge and grabbed a can of whip cream before heading to her craft table. She squirted some whip cream into her mouth and began gluing macaroni onto a picture frame.

Two hours and three picture frames later, someone knocked on the door. Paris debated whether she would answer or not but decided she wouldn't mind hearing a human voice, even if it was someone she didn't know.

She opened the door and looked expectantly at the vaguely familiar man in his thirties who was standing in front of her.

"Hey," he said, "Paris, right?" She nodded. "I'm Rory's dad, Christopher," he continued, "Is she back from her Friday dinner yet?" he asked.

Paris shook her head. "She's going back to Star's Hollow this weekend. She wanted to get in some quality Lorelai time."

His face fell. Once in a while Christopher felt a wave of guilt for being a bad father to Rory, but this was one of the few times he managed to do something about it.

Paris looked at his crest-fallen face and felt a little bad for him. "Do you want to come in for a cup of coffee or something?" she offered.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," Chris said, "You can just get back to your evening."

Paris just shrugged. "I'm not really doing anything," she said, "I wouldn't mind some company if you don't want to drive back yet."

"Ok," Chris said, smiling at her, "Thanks."

She opened the door wider and Chris followed her into the dorm. He walked over to the craft table and looked at the can of whip cream sitting next to the glue and macaroni as well as the picture frames.

"Is this what you were doing?" he asked.

Paris blushed. "My life coach says working with my hands helps with my nerves," she explained, turning even redder, "And your daughter says the whip cream is good for getting over a break up."

Paris didn't understand why she felt so embarrassed explaining this to Christopher. She was never apologetic or ashamed of anything she did. That was the only part of her personality that she really liked. But here she was, blushing like a school girl because her roommate's father discovered her craft table.

Chris just nodded in understanding.

"So, um, do you want coffee or soda or something?" Paris asked, fidgeting nervously.

"Sure," Chris said, "I'll take a soda."

Paris walked over to the fridge and got out two cokes before joining Chris on the couch where he sat down while she was getting the drinks. Paris chewed on her lip, not knowing what to say. She turned the TV on again just so she would have something to do. She flipped through he channels before landing on a rerun of Saturday Night Live.

She leaned back on the couch and the two sat watching the show in silence sipping their cokes, occasionally sneaking a glance at the other.

"So," Chris said finally, "You just broke up with your boyfriend?" He cringed at the bluntness of the question. He had just been searching for any topic to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah," Paris said quietly, looking at her lap, "I guess he finally realized what every other guy I've ever spoken too saw. I'm intense and high-maintenance, and completely un-dateable. I think he found someone else."

"If that's true, he's an idiot and it's his loss," Chris said resolutely.

"You don't even know me," Paris said, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe I don't know you well," Chris admitted, "But I know you were good-hearted enough to let your roommate's dad come in just because you could tell he was a little down. I know you're exceptionally smart and self-sufficient. I know you're your own person who's not afraid to march to her own drum even if that includes having a craft table in your dorm room. And I know you're beautiful."

Paris looked at Chris with her eyes wide. No one had ever said so many nice things to her before. She always felt like people spent time with her because she was ridiculous. Even with Rory, who she considered her best friend, half the time she felt like she was only friends with her out of pity.

As she met Chris's eyes, she didn't see anything indicating that he was anything but sincere and that affected her more then she liked to admit. Neither seemed willing to break eye contact. Paris felt herself drawn to him and slowly began to lean forward, barely noticing that he was doing the same.

When their lips met, neither was thinking that they shouldn't be doing this. They weren't thinking about Rory. Paris wasn't thinking that Chris was too old for her or that he had a three year old daughter. Chris wasn't thinking that Paris was vulnerable from her recent breakup. All they could think about was that this felt right at this moment.

When they finally broke apart, needing air, Paris stood up, smiled slightly at Chris, and led him into her bedroom.

It wasn't until an hour later when they were lying next to each other in Paris's single bed that all the things they ignored early came to mind.

"Oh, God," Chris said, "Rory."

"Yeah," Paris said, feeling guilty, "Rory."

"We can't tell her," Chris said decisively, "She wouldn't understand. It would only hurt her."

"No," Paris said, "We can't tell her." She didn't know what to feel. Part of her felt dirty for sleeping with her roommate's father, but she had never experienced the kind of chemistry she and Chris had shared.

"Is this a one-night stand?" Paris asked, nervously. She wasn't even sure what she wanted.

"Do you want it to be?" Chris asked, "Because I don't."

"You live in Boston," Paris said, "I just got out of a long distance relationship, and I didn't have to hide that one."

"I think we can make it work," Chris said, "We know Rory's gone every Friday. I think I can manage to come down here at least every other Friday."

Paris nodded. "Ok," she said.

"Ok," Chris responded.

END


End file.
